Beauty Secrets of a Prima Ballerina

Few people are better versed on the ins and outs of beauty secrets than ballerinas. Just ask 29-year-old American Ballet Theater dancer Melanie Hamrick, who took her first mandatory makeup class at boarding school when she was eleven. “It was part of the curriculum, students had to take makeup lessons to learn how to do their own for the stage,” she explains. She admits that her preferred look leans natural, so when it's showtime she's happy to have a team of hair and makeup professionals hovering over her to finish the job. “Before the curtain goes up hair stylists and makeup artists walk around to touch you up and make sure your pins are in and your makeup is right,” explains Hamrick of the pre-show process. “I like the makeup team to finish off my look – to do that special something, so I can focus on my role instead of my eyeliner.” But that doesn't mean she hasn't picked up a few tips and tricks along the way. Here, she shares her favorite products, go-to snacks, and skincare secrets.